Last October, we told you about the generous offer made by the non-profit Everybody Solar to raise funds to make the One Spirit Allen Youth Center a solar-powered facility. Successfully getting solar power for the youth center would free up needed funds to enhance the operations of the center, raise awareness about renewable energy among the Lakota, and help enable us to continue and broaden the operations of a vital safe place for Lakota youth to prosper.

Everybody Solar raises funds to help other non-profits get solar power to save operating funds and to make another step toward trying to save our rapidly changing climate. 

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We did it!

The Youth of Allen Give Back

We have previously shared the moving story of Allen's beginning high school students and their demonstration of wacantognaka (generosity) as they pitched in to clean and refurbish the town playground for those younger than them. Among the Oglala Lakota, wacantognaka is one of the four core values of their traditional culture. And it seems to be contagious.

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One of the greatest values to the Oglala Lakota is wacantognaka (generosity).

The concept includes more than simply sharing with others. It includes as well showing kindness, compassion and sympathy towards other people and towards all of nature without a price tag, i.e. without the expectation of reward. The simple act of providing wacantognaka is its own reward, making the individual better and happier in life.

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On Friday July 13, at the Allen Youth Center, a structure he caused to be built, John DuBray was honored by his community for daring to dream of a place for the youth of Allen and then making that dream come true.

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Thanks to a grant from the South Dakota Arts Council, which covers half of the artist-in-residence's fee, and in particular thanks to the outpouring of generosity from our loyal One Spirit family, the previously announced four-week Art Camp is now in full swing at the Allen Youth Center.

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